Jason Jackson | "All In"

It’s been a whirlwind from the U.S. Navy to the Billboard top twenty for R&B/jazz saxophonist Jason Jackson. When it comes to music, he’s been all in from the go, inspiring the title of his first album, “All In,” which was released last fall. The second single from the set produced by twelve-time Billboard chart-topper Adam Hawley, “Through The Night,” began collecting playlist adds on Monday.  

Jackson spent ten years performing all over the world as a member of the Navy’s band, playing prestigious venues in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Australia and Japan. Just prior to completing his service in 2021, he reached out to Hawley, sending him a demo. Upon hearing it, Hawley agreed to produce and write with the sax player who had opened for Brian McKnight, Morris Day and the Time, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Michael McDonald while he was a teenager under the tutelage of longtime James Brown saxophonist Leroy Harper Jr.

Hawley produced Jackson’s 2021 debut EP, “Movin’ On,” that showcased the saxman alongside prominent duet partners Julian Vaughn and Tim Bowman. Last November, Jackson realized a dream when he released his first full-length album, “All In.” “Through The Night” is the latest offering from the Hawley-produced collection.

A soulful midtempo groove written by Jackson, Hawley and keyboardist Caleb Middleton, “Through The Night” is a sophisticated urban-jazz track lit by Jackson’s yearning saxes that portray a fiery sense of urgency and desire.

“When Adam and I set out to write ‘Through The Night,’ we were looking to create something with a sultry R&B groove that would really help the tone of the sax melodies shine. Imagine sitting outside, perhaps by a fire or on the beach, on a warm but crisp summer night. You’ve got a glass of wine in your hand and the love of your life sitting beside you. What would be the perfect soundtrack for that night? How could we put into music what you were feeling in that moment as well as the possibilities of the moments to come? That’s a snapshot of the vibe we were trying to capture,” said Jackson, a Wilmington, NC native who now calls Chesapeake, VA home.   

“Through The Night” follows “Workin’ It Out,” the first single from “All In” featuring keyboardist Gino Rosaria that hit Billboard/Mediabase’s top forty. Other noteworthy musicians who play alongside Jackson on the album are Jonathan Fritzén, Chieli Minucci and Mr. Talkbox. However, the sentimental favorite is a special guest appearance by six-time Grammy nominated saxophonist Eric Marienthal, one of Jackson’s mentors.

“I studied with Eric for many years before making my own records. It was so cool to finally get to collaborate with him on ‘On The Move,’ one of the songs from the ‘All In’ project. It was a really cool student-teacher moment,” shared Jackson who is excited about what he’s accomplished in two short years since transitioning from military life to life as a civilian musician. 

“My last month in the Navy was May of 2021. I got out of the military and around two months later, I was breaking into the top twenty on the Billboard chart with the single ‘All The Way’ featuring Julian Vaughn, which came out a month before I left the Navy. Pretty cool transition. No looking back since then!”